


this is not otome

by rangerchikin



Category: Joker Game (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Reader-Insert, i want a friend like him, just hatano being a good friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:07:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24223279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rangerchikin/pseuds/rangerchikin
Summary: You're having a terrible day. Hatano (reluctantly) comes to the rescue!
Kudos: 2





	this is not otome

**Author's Note:**

> i made this when i had an absolute shit day. im still happy that writing this made me feel better, so i thought it might cheer up some of you too!

Spring should be your favorite season. And on a bright day like this one, it should be one of your favorite days. But it isn't. Something isn't going right with your mind, and it's dragging your body with it. A mere walk to the lecture hall feels unnecessarily heavy to you.  
  
Nobody was in the hall yet. The lecture starts in another fifteen minutes, and you're grateful for deciding to come early for the day. Nobody has to see you looking gloomy and sour.  
  
"Yo, you try to win a race or what?"  
  
Except, Hatano had to come and interrupt. It's rare to see him attending exceptionally early, especially since you're awfully familiar with his _low blood pressure_ (even when you think it should be otherwise). He descended through the stairs of the hall, towards your row, and next to your seat.  
  
Hatano is your junior who, of course, will attend the class required for your year because he's a genius. So are his flock of friends you're lately familiar with. You've known him since his first year when he idly attended a late class you hated the most, because he had 'too much free time'.  
  
"No, just feeling like coming early." you answered. "You're curiously early yourself."  
  
Hatano shrugged. "Wasn't my plan. Jitsui dragged me out at six in the morning."  
  
Right, and his friendship with this Jitsui. If you felt your friendship with him is strange, Hatano and Jitsui have a more peculiar dynamic you won't bother trying to discuss. You're feeling like shit today, and you don't find debating Hatano about that particular topic will make it any better.  
  
The lecture started shortly after the rest of the class gathered and you're grateful to remember that Hatano is quiet during class. He never intentionally bothered you in the middle of lessons, because he knew you're struggling--or it's merely for his own sake, you wouldn't know.  
  
But the more the lesson dragged out to the topic you dislike, you're feeling progressively worse. Carrying a mental burden and trying to work your head through a complicated lecture is a combination that doesn't work. When the class hits its twentieth minute mark, you gave up. You slouched on your desk and pushed your notes out of the way, finding space to place your folded hand against the table so you would at least look like you're paying attention. Though you don't bother to showcase anything but a blank stare, because anything else is too much to do.  
  
You feel your eyes slowly dropped lower and your thoughts getting darker. You are reminded of why you went to this major, which you hated, into the ridiculously tough university you didn't want to attend because your parents said so. Because you wanted to please your family, and your peers to feel proud, while it brought nothing to you. Drowning in self loathe, your eyes grew warm and cloudy, the way tears are about to come out. No, you can't cry in the middle of the class. That's stupid. You're already barely hanging on studying here, you don't need to look like a fool. So you took a sharp breathe to take those tears in, which was apparently caught by Hatano who is now facing you.  
  
"Hey. You alright?"  
  
Not only it took you by surprise, but it's harder to hold back crying now. Granted with a good (exercised) poker face, you shook your head at his question. You can't decide to be annoyed or slightly relieved that Hatano didn't look satisfied.  
  
Once the lecture ended, and the class got dismissed, you planned to quickly leave and call it a day. You wouldn't make it through the rest of the day looking like you've been divorced by the husband you don't have, when you actually only feel disappointed in yourself. Though sadly, your reflexes ignored your plans. You froze in distorted thoughts and a lump of nervous strangling your airway. Hatano took this chance to ask you again.  
  
"You don't look fine." was all it took for your tears to start streaming down like the niagara, wetting your collar and palms that are now trying to cover it. "Shit- Oi, don't cry," you could hear Hatano frantically removing his books to fold his desk so he could sit a little closer to you. "What's wrong? Dammit, I wouldn't know if you keep crying."  
  
Hatano's hand pried your wrists apart in hopes of making you look his way, but it didn't stop anything. You kept bawling your eyes at him and now accompanied with pathetic sobs that came out of nowhere. Just when you thought you couldn't get more embarrassing, Hatano took his thumb to remove your tears with his eyes mildly confused. If it has to be something this romantic, you hoped it's a good looking upperclassman and not a bratty junior like Hatano. Not that Hatano isn't good looking (you will admit he's handsome to a degree), but you don't feel towards Hatano like that. You two are simply good friends, and you're content with it. Hatano is more like your little brother, who is now apparently trying his best to stop you from crying too.  
  
"Stop crying. You'll look ugly," he said. It wasn't mocking; Hatano was only honest. But that brought back another element of your self loathe; fuck, you're already ugly without the crying. So you cried again. Though, instead of looking frustrated, Hatano sighed and gave yourself a little bit of room. "That's fine. You can cry. But tell me what's wrong so at least I wouldn't look like I violated a nerd."  
  
"I don't know," you desperately sobbed. "I don't get it."  
  
"Start slow." Hatano told you. "I'll wait."  
  
So then you began, after the tears started to die down. You told him about your worries, the reason of you being upset, and even with the best effort of trying not to cry, you'll stumble and shake again. It amazed you that Hatano stayed through the whole thing, and actually looked like he was listening to you, as if you're another lecture he had to understand. When you're done, he made sure you were ready to listen, or the very least, able to leave the class.  
  
"Tough, huh." Hatano eventually spoke. "You put through all that on your own. You told that to anyone else before?"  
  
You told him you did. "Without the crying." you added. "Why should it be you who saw me like this.. If it's the hot senior I've been telling you about, that'd be epic." you attempted to joke. Usually Hatano would bother to snap or throw you a mirorring jest, but this time he's nonchalant, likely noticing that you haven't truly feel better.  
  
"You want lunch?" Hatano offered- oh no. You already planned to leave, you can't afford staying any longer. "It's on me." he added. Well, unless it's free. Since Hatano offered, you agreed. "You broke ass," he jokingly elbowed you on the arm. You returned to your easy banters again.  
  
You felt exhausted from crying, so you're thankful Hatano returned from the mart with your favorite sandwich. You both have chosen somewhere not cafeteria to eat, so not many people will notice the evidence of your breakdown. Even though it wasn't someone you like, it made you feel better to entrust your darkest episodes towards a close friend like Hatano, who could be this considerate sometimes. You noticed you've always taken him less seriously, but you wouldn't dare to after this. Hatano truly cherishes a friend, if this lunch break proves anything.  
  
"How're you feeling?" Hatano asked, digging into his bento, then biting for his tempura. Even when he's eager to see his lunch set, you could tell he's concerned of you.  
  
"Better." you answered after biting into your sandwich. "....Thanks."  
  
"Mm? Yeah." Hatano still has food in his mouth. But you know he meant proper answer. "Don't handle your stuff alone. I could lend an ear."  
  
"Thanks for that," you finally smiled. A significant amount of weight left your chest now. "Not for the sandwich though."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"It's expired."  
  
"What the fuc— Give me," he yanked your sandwich from your hand, then glared at you, throwing the package back to your face. "Lying bastard. It's not."  
  
"Sorry! I don't like the atmosphere!" you laughed, bringing the casual jokes back to the table. It's truly great to have Hatano as a friend. Maybe crying in front of him wasn't as embarrassing as you thought.

**Author's Note:**

> i want him to throw me expired sandwich *wails*


End file.
